This invention relates to reel type mowers and the connection mechanisms which couple them to powered vehicles.
Conventional reel type cutting units are used to mow golf course greens and other areas where relatively precise and accurate mowing is desirable Reel type mowers typically include front and rear rollers which support the cutting units above the ground The height at which the cutting reel is fixed above the rollers determines the height of cut. An arm and yoke typically extend between the cutting unit and the vehicle for dragging the cutting unit along the surface of the ground.
A pivot mechanism is typically provided as a coupling between the yoke and arm for allowing the yoke and cutting unit thereattached to pivot and shift with respect to the arm and vehicle. These conventional pivot mechanisms often include a horizontally and longitudinally extending pivot shaft for allowing the yoke and cutting unit to pivot about a horizontal axis, thereby allowing the cutting unit to evenly engage and roll across the surface of the ground as the cutting unit encounters side slopes. Conventional pivot mechanisms also typically include a vertically extending steering shaft about which the yoke pivots from side to side for swinging the cutting units laterally as the vehicle executes a turn. The swinging of the cutting units during a vehicle turn generally allows the cutting units to follow or steer behind the pivot mechanism, thereby allowing the rollers to roll properly across the ground instead of dragging or skidding sideways. Scuffing or other damage to the ground is thereby reduced by the cutting unit's ability to steer or be pulled behind the yoke's connection to the arm.
Although conventional pivot mechanisms help reduce scuffing, the reel mower units can still scuff the ground undesirably in areas such as golf course greens where turf is highly manicured. During execution of a turn during mowing operations the inside lateral edge portion of the cutting unit can skid laterally and tends to dip down or dig into the turf, thereby often causing excessive turf damage.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a mechanism for coupling a reel mower to a vehicle and which reduces or eliminates turf damage occurring during execution of a turn during mowing operations